ESWATINI Football Association (EFA) President Peter ‘Samora’ Simelane has once again found himself in hot legal water. This is after Manzini Wanderers formally added him and EFA CEO Frederick Mngomezulu to a contempt of court case in their ongoing legal battle against the Premier League of Eswatini (PLE).
This latest development marks the third time Simelane is facing contempt proceedings, having already been hit with two other similar cases in his capacity as Principal Officer at EswatiniMed.
The hub giants filed fresh court papers yesterday before the High Court, seeking to revive and expand their contempt of court application. The case is rooted in the club’s long-standing dispute over their controversial relegation from the topflight league, a matter in which the courts have already issued judgments against both the PLE and the EFA.
In their application, Wanderers, through their lawyers from SM Jele Attorneys, argue that Simelane and Mngomezulu – as the topmost officials of the EFA – have blatantly ignored lawful court orders.
“The parties sought to be joined herein, just like the current respondents, are willfully disregarding orders of our superior courts,” reads the founding affidavit by Wanderers Chairman Wellington Motsa.
“As such, they are equally guilty of contempt of court, and the court, to mark its disapproval, must mete out the appropriate punishment, including committing them to jail for 60 days or any period deemed fit.”
The order at the centre of the dispute was issued on September 24, 2024, by High Court Judge Mumcy Dlamini, instructing the PLE and EFA to rectify Wanderers’ relegation. The club argues that, despite the dismissal of appeals at the Supreme Court, the football bodies have failed to act and are now openly defying the law.
Initially, Simelane and Mngomezulu were not part of the case, with the club stating it had relied on assurances from the PLE that the EFA was handling the matter. However, the club now says it is clear that both officials are equally responsible for the continued non-compliance.
“The EFA president and CEO are entrusted with the authority to carry out administrative and other duties of the association. Their continued inaction reflects deliberate defiance,” says the club.
With this new turn, the spotlight once again falls on Simelane, whose legal troubles are mounting as critics question the leadership of one of the country’s highest sporting offices.
The matter is now set to return to court at a date to be determined by Judge Dlamini.
